Harbor Freight

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wannabe
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by wannabe »

i haven't bought anything from there yet (Funds are a bit of an issue) but i did introduce my boyfriend to the wonderfulness that is their stores :)
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Re: Harbor Freight

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1974Alfa5spd wrote:
six wrote:Yeah, I'm going to an actual store. It's only 10-15 minutes away.
:o You're in the San Jose area, aren't you? Tell me where this magical place is!
The one closest to me (you too) is in Newark on Cedar Blvd & Mowry Blvd (next to Fremont), only about 9 miles away from me. The one on Stevens Creek in Santa Clara is not open yet. Once it opens, I will be smack dab in the center of both of those locations, both roughly 9-10 miles away, in opposite directions. :lol:
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Shadow
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Re: Harbor Freight

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Nothing against anyone who buys tools from Harbor Freight, but I'd avoid buying just about anything from that place. To me, tools are an investment, so I'm willing to pay more upfront for a quality tool that will last forever.

I guess cheap tools are okay for people who don't really NEED quality tools, but you have to ask yourself if the lower quality is worth the initial savings. In some cases I'd say it could be, but in most cases I'd say it's probably not. Then again, I worked for years as a mechanic, so cheap tools just weren't an option. Today I probably have more than $50K worth of hand tools and pneumatic tools alone. And that's not a lot compared to some guys....hell, one of the techs in my shop had a box that cost almost $20K by itself. It was crazy....it had little coil springs on the wheels and a wireless fob to lock/unlock it. I've also seen boxes with built-in radios and small refrigerators. LOL
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by theholycow »

Absolutely, if your tools are what brings home the bacon then the ones you use most MUST be premium tools and even the ones you don't use so often are still worth getting at least decent quality. As with my description of sockets before, it's not merely a matter of nice vs. annoying, but also a matter of your tools being a liability. Time is money, so struggling with tools costs a lot of it. Then if your tools (for example) round your customer's nuts or sling oil on your customer's interior, you have to pay to have that repaired.

Then there's tools you'll only use once, and tools you plan to destroy (through modification or abuse)...even a pro might want to buy those tools at HF.

If you're an amateur but you have the money for nice tools then it makes sense to buy nice tools.

However, when you're a shadetree mechanic repairing your car (or house or whatever) because you can't afford to pay a professional, cheap crappy tools accomplish the job at a price you can afford...and if you're me, the other option is to leave it broken.

HF enables people like me to get jobs done that would otherwise remain undone.

Then there's tools that are luxuries when bought from HF, like my mechanics stethoscope...if I didn't buy it for $2.50 there I would just use a long screwdriver pressed to my ear.
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by FDSpirit »

^this. Most of us know this. I can't afford really nice tools right now, but for my classes, they suffice. I did get a few nice tools from Matco though.
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Re: Harbor Freight

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six wrote:
theholycow wrote:The worst part about it? If you're concerned about the macroeconomical issues of buying Chinese crap you shouldn't go there, because it's probably all made by 6-year old Chinese kids in sweatshops.
I have no problems buying cheap Chinese stuff.

I was looking around the website, and it looks like I can get complete socket sets for like around $50 or so, including a case or box. I was looking around at Snap-On and MAC tools, and similar sets cost $500+!!!!!!! Even Craftsman!!! That's like 90% off!!! And the case is separate!!!!

The difference between the HF tools and the Snap-On/Craftsman isn't just the quality it's also the warranty. You'll have to swap out the HF tools after a few years depending on your use. Also try not to buy "brand name" goods so to speak, like car waxes and what not since they are usually cheaper at wal-mart or even the zone.
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by Shadow »

FDSpirit wrote:^this. Most of us know this. I can't afford really nice tools right now, but for my classes, they suffice. I did get a few nice tools from Matco though.
If you're just starting out, try to not get too caught up in the cheaper tools. That can be false economy, if you know what I mean. Start out with decent quality stuff and build up from there. That's what most of the guys did when I was in school. Before you know it, you'll have more tools than you can imagine. You can usually get some really good deals from the jobbers that come to your shop.

And when you buy sockets, stick with the 6-point sets. You're much more likely to round off fasteners with 12-point sockets.
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by theholycow »

Agreed, if you're starting a career as a mechanic then it behooves you to try to build up a collection of good quality tools.

Why are 12-point sockets so common? Do they have an advantage over 6-point sockets for hex-headed fasteners?
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by wannabe »

for someone like me, whose boyfriend has plenty of tools, i just buy like wrenches and screwdrivers, the basic stuff, at stores like walmart or meijer...works better for me...i'd get them at HF if remembered, but Meijer is closer than our HF :P
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by FDSpirit »

Shadow wrote:
FDSpirit wrote:^this. Most of us know this. I can't afford really nice tools right now, but for my classes, they suffice. I did get a few nice tools from Matco though.
If you're just starting out, try to not get too caught up in the cheaper tools. That can be false economy, if you know what I mean. Start out with decent quality stuff and build up from there. That's what most of the guys did when I was in school. Before you know it, you'll have more tools than you can imagine. You can usually get some really good deals from the jobbers that come to your shop.

And when you buy sockets, stick with the 6-point sets. You're much more likely to round off fasteners with 12-point sockets.
Of course! It's just basic things that I get from there that end up in my toolbox. I got things like pin punches, sockets, torx and a few other things from either Matco or Craftsman. Snap-On is way out of my budget right now. Luckily I have a student account with Matco, so I get a discount on the things I use and need most.
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by Rope-Pusher »

theholycow wrote:Agreed, if you're starting a career as a mechanic then it behooves you to try to build up a collection of good quality tools.

Why are 12-point sockets so common? Do they have an advantage over 6-point sockets for hex-headed fasteners?
Less metal in a 12-point socket than in a 6-point. Probably easier to form the 12-point as well.
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by 1974Alfa5spd »

theholycow wrote:Why are 12-point sockets so common? Do they have an advantage over 6-point sockets for hex-headed fasteners?
I personally don't have that many 12-point sockets, but I think it's because that way you can have twice as many oppurtunites as to how the socket can engage (damn important when working with a breaker bar). Also, my 12-points are around the size that would be used on main, rod cap, or flywheel bolts, which, 9 times out of 10, are 12-points.
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Re: Harbor Freight

Post by Shadow »

theholycow wrote:Agreed, if you're starting a career as a mechanic then it behooves you to try to build up a collection of good quality tools.

Why are 12-point sockets so common? Do they have an advantage over 6-point sockets for hex-headed fasteners?

Most fasteners are 6-point (hex), but there are 12-point fasteners out there. But still, I hate using 12-point sockets unless I have no other choice. I've rounded hex fasteners more than once when using 12-point sockets.

I guess the advantage of 12-point sockets is that you can use them on both 12-point and 6-point fasteners. Still though, almost everything out there is 6-point.

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Re: Harbor Freight

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If you want to be proactive, look for tools at estate sales and business closings. My son just bought a tool cart / chest combo with tools in it from the estate sale of a deceased technician. Funny thing is, my son's boss remembered seeing the cart when the former owner was working for them a few years back. It's a small, dead world.
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Re: Harbor Freight

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Rope-Pusher wrote:If you want to be proactive, look for tools at estate sales and business closings. My son just bought a tool cart / chest combo with tools in it from the estate sale of a deceased technician. Funny thing is, my son's boss remembered seeing the cart when the former owner was working for them a few years back. It's a small, dead world.
That's how I built my collection (still fairly small). I buy craftsman tools at garage sales/ estate sales. Usually you'll get a set that's completely rusted through or what not for pretty cheap. I just take it over to sears hardware and swap them out for new ones. If they don't make that model you get a comparable replacement. Good deal IMO.
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